An eerie and spacious soundscape stirs on “Mustang Runners,” the impactful new track from Mary Knoblock. The Portland, Oregon-based artist explores a nocturnal territory with trickling synths and touch of piano, emitting a blend of ’80s nostalgia and modern dream-pop whimsy.
Avant-garde, neo-classical influence are also evident in the track’s atmospheric construction. The gentle, closing ambience and general synth-laden illumination echoes the delicate power of somber neo-classical. Initial vocals fall into a chiming synth progression that evokes a chilling quality reminiscent of ’80s horror films. Knoblock’s vocals quiver and lengthen with precision, maintaining a tonal consistency throughout that helps highlight the instrumentation’s atmospheric power.
“Mustang Runners” is particularly powerful in its closing minute, as a swelling synth pad takes hold in the vocals’ fading embrace. The brief, twinkling outro finalizes the track’s resonating soundscape with full satiation.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of May 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
